Champs Walk Gets Paver Face-Lift

by Michelle Brown, Pavestone consultant

TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas located in Irving, Texas is a leading fundraiser on the PGA Tour. 100 percent of the millions raised annually go to Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers, so when it came time to renovate the pressure was on to get it right. This included a new champions walk hardscape.
All Images Courtesy Pavestone

Last year’s makeover of the TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas located in Irving, Texas, didn’t stop at the greens. The EDS Byron Nelson Championship is a leading fundraiser for charity on the PGA Tour, raising millions of dollars each year. Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers receive 100 percent of proceeds.

With that kind of clout, no detail could be overlooked. The significant renovation of the golf course and sports club made an overhaul of the Champions Walk in the Pavilion area a necessity, too. The site of the annual Championship each spring also needed to be a functional masterpiece worthy of its long tradition of excellence.

Dee Brown, Inc. was the contractor charged with the daunting task of renovating the walkway and pavilion area and having the project completed in time for the Championship. Buddie Barnes, Jr., project manager and CEO of Dee Brown, Inc., says the main challenge his team was faced with was ensuring optimal pedestrian traffic flow in the common areas.

Other project considerations included ease of maintenance to deal with the north Texas stormy season in which the championship is typically held. The ability to replace damaged pavers individually prevents large-scale disruptions at this critical time. The ability to withstand freeze-thaw cycles was another key point in the specification of pavers.

However, safety precautions were also a huge consideration. “We had to make sure the overall design allowed for the emergency vehicles to have fast and easy access around tents if necessary,” Barnes says. Other requirements for the job included both ease of installation and upkeep. Maintenance during the Championship was also a factor. The event falls within the stormy season in north Texas and sees rain more often than not. Materials were needed that were resistant to water damage.

Segmental concrete retaining walls and interlocking concrete pavers fit the bill for Barnes. Both are known to be extremely durable products. With high-product density and low-product absorption, they are resilient even under the most adverse environmental conditions. Wind, water and traffic are no match for them. They are sturdy and strong enough to withstand the forces of nature—even freeze-thaw conditions. Maintenance and repair is also a breeze. In the event of damage or cracks, the affected area can be replaced with no need for a wide-scale repair that disrupts the atmosphere.

He eventually made the decision to use segmental concrete retaining walls and interlocking concrete pavers, citing the outstanding past performance he had experienced with the materials. “The cost to update the surfaces with these products was also very reasonable,” Barnes remarked.

The durability is substantially improved by the pavers’ high density and low absorbency. The high density helps improve resistance to rupture, while the low absorption resists the threat of freeze-thaw cycles. Buddie Barnes, Jr., project manager and CEO of Dee Brown, Inc. noted the resulting strength held up to truck-loads of bricks driving over the hardscape. They have a compressive strength greater than 8,000 psi, a water absorption maximum of 5% and will meet or exceed ASTM C-936.

Barnes says his team has been thrilled with the end result. “Maintenance and upkeep has been minimal,” he explains. He says that the project has also stood the test of time and abuse. As an example, he says that against his wishes general contractors doing work nearby have traveled across the walkway and pavilion path with trucks full of bricks.

“However, the pavers have held up without any damage. This gives us great expectations that a fire truck can drive on the walkway to take care of business on the golf course without causing damage to the structure,” he explains.

But one of the best compliments Barnes cites is the comments he has overheard from spectators at the tournament. “They are impressed with [the] new look and style of the walkway and the retaining walls used to create the new circle entrance into [the] Pavilion. This makes us very pleased with the overall outcome”.